Top 10 of 2014, No. 8: Coding

eSchool News highlights some of the 10 most significant ed-tech developments of 2014, and coding is No. 8

Each year, the eSchool News editors compile 10 of the most influential ed-tech developments and examine how those topics dominated K-12 ed-tech conversations. No. 8 on our list for 2014 is coding.

Coding is quickly becoming a course that schools must offer in some way. Computer programming is one of the fastest-growing areas when it comes to STEM careers. But today’s students aren’t necessarily building the skills they’ll need to fill those jobs.

The coding movement, buoyed by the Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week, seeks to highlight how accessible coding courses and tutorials are for people of all ages. The efforts appear to be working, because Advanced Placement Computer Science classes saw a huge jump in enrollment this year.